Some cooking sauces contain '90 times more salt'

SHOPPERS are being urged to check the salt content of their family's favourite cooking sauces, with new analysis revealing some tomato-based products contain 90 times more salt than others.

A study by The George Institute for Global Health in collaboration with VicHealth and the Heart Foundation has uncovered the "hidden" salt content of more than 2000 cooking sauce products, sold in the four major supermarkets. It found salt intake was highest in powdered sauces that are used commonly for casseroles, curries and pasta bakes.

Some contained almost half a family's recommended daily salt intake in one serve alone, according to the study.

Barilla Olive had '90 times' the amount of salt when compared to some other sauces.

Nutritionist Clare Farrand - who led the investigation - says cooking sauces are tipping peoples' salt intake over the edge at great risk to their health.

"A fresh pasta sauce from the supermarket refrigerator contains almost a third of a daily salt intake in the sauce alone - add cheese and you could be blowing the family's salt intake to well over the maximum daily limit," said Ms Farrand.

"We would encourage consumers when they are looking at the label to look for products that are as close to low salt as possible," she advised.

There is also a call for all manufacturers to reduce the amount of salt in processed foods particularly in those people eat the most, such as cooking sauces.

"What the study actually shows us is that manufacturers are able to make these products with much less salt," said Ms Farrand.

The World Health Organisation recommends people consume no more than 5mg of salt per day.

Data from the Australian Health Survey shows Australians are currently consuming nearly double that.